Snakes, scuba suits and skeletons - Top list of most bizarre items found in student homes

It appears that trophy traffic cones and road signs are no longer the must-have collectable amongst the nation’s students, as the most common and unusual items left-behind in student housing are revealed for 2009.Student accommodation provider UNITE audited properties on the ‘lost and found’ items as the academic year comes to a close. Left behind booty includes: a fully-fitted pole dancing pole, a 6ft snake, a whip alongside a copy of the Karma Sutra, a full-sized air hockey table, two budgies and a scuba diving suit complete with air tank and flippers.

The ten most bizarre items:

6ft snake

A pole dancing pole

Life-size skeleton

A pair of budgies

Giant white pet rabbit

10ft inflatable outdoor pool filled with water

Frozen chicken feet

A whip and a copy of the Karma Sutra

Scuba diving suit with air tank and flippers

Full-size air hockey table

UNITE staff reported a record low in the number of purloined traffic cones, street signs and cardboard cut-outs being left behind by students.

The five most common items left behind are:

Mobile phone chargers (24%)

Text books (19%)

Toothbrushes (17%)

iPods (11%)

Shoes (7%)

Nathan Goddard, UNITE sales and Marketing Director, said: “After a year of working hard and playing hard, it is no surprise that students forget to pack everything at the end of term – and what they leave behind never fails to surprise us. From the risqué to the ridiculous, we often wonder how these items make it into their rooms in the first place.”

UNITE makes every effort to reunite students with their belongings. Those that can’t be returned or remain unclaimed are donated to charity shops and recycling agencies. Unclaimed pets are always found a good home. unite-students.com